Sibte Hasan Zaidi Explained

Sibte Hasan Zaidi (died on 5 April 2008) was an Indian pathologist and toxicologist born in April 1918. He underwent training in pathology at the Hammersmith Hospital in London, United Kingdom and later returned to India to continue with experimental toxicology research.

During his later years, he served on national and international committees, such as the World Health Organization, where he advised on the harmful biological effects of industrial toxins.

Early life and education

Sibte Hasan Zaidi was born in Barabanki, India. He grew up in the village town of Jarwal with his maternal uncle, due to the early death of his mother, Zakia Begum. Thereafter, he studied at Barabanki High School while living with his father, Syed Hasan Zaidi, a barrister. Upon the death of his father in 1931, Sibte Zaidi moved in with his uncle, Sardar Husain. After graduating from Christian College and Lucknow University, Zaidi entered King George’s Medical College (KGMC, now King George's Medical University) in 1940. He graduated with a medical degree in 1945. In 1948, he married Qamar Ara Shanshah Husain, granddaughter Rajah of Bhatwamau, a clinical psychologist. After Zaidi's clinical training and a brief academic appointment in Pathology at KGMC, he left for Lonson to work under the tutelage of Professor Earl J. King at what's now known as the Imperial College and the Hammersmith Hospital. During his tenure at the Hammersmith, Zaidi earned a PhD (1954) and a Diploma in Clinical Pathology (1952), both from the University of London.

Research

Around 1950, Zaidi's mentor Earl J. King developed an interest in the health of coal miners in the Sheffield area. Zaidi assisted by providing description of the pathology and pathophysiology of coal miner’s lung. Zaidi and coworkers "produced the nearest approach to massive fibrosis by injecting into sensitized animals dust plus tubercle bacilli."[1]

In 1955, Zaidi travelled back to India to be named Head the Division of Experimental Medicine and Deputy Director at the Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) in Lucknow, India, where his research focused on mechanisms that underlie peptic ulcer, atherosclerosis, vasospasm, and eosinophilia. Through pharmacologic and animal studies, Zaidi and his colleagues demonstrated the requirement of a mucus barrier in the prevention of peptic ulcer disease.[2] He received the Sir Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar Award in 1963.[3] He also examined the mechanisms of hypercoagulability and thrombosis and developed rodent models of atherosclerotic heart disease and myocardial infarction.[4]

Between 1964 and 1965, Zaidi served as the third Director of the newly founded Indian Institute of Biochemistry and Experimental Medicine in Calcutta (renamed Indian Institute of Chemical Biology),[5] where he established the institute's research infrastructure. Additionally, he initiated dissections and clarifications of the effect of exposure of industrial toxins on pulmonary fibrosis.

Industrial Toxicology Research Center (ITRC)

Zaidi is the Founding Director of Industrial Toxicology Research Center (ITRC) in Lucknow (now renamed Indian Institute of Toxicology Research).[6] The then-President of India V. V. Giri, and later by President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, supported it. During his tenure at ITRC, Zaidi grew the Center and continued to work.[7] His research was funded continuously by the Public Health Service of the United States through their PL 480 scheme.

Publications

Zaidi's monograph "Experimental Pneumoconiosis" was published by Johns Hopkins Press in 1969.[8] His editorial "Bhopal and After",[9] published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine and later quoted in several articles,[10] highlighted gaps in 1980s policy that could lead to spillage of chemicals.

Recognition

Zaidi was awarded the William P. Yant Award for lifetime achievements and contributions to industrial toxicology by the American Industrial Hygiene Association in 1977.[11] [12] [13] He also served on their Editorial Board from 1977 to 1993. In 1978, the Venezuelan Society gave him the highest honour for his contributions to industrial medicine. He was awarded the Sir Ardeshirlal Dalal Gold Medal for his contributions to occupational health (1975), and the Padam Shree (1977) by the Government of India.[14]

Zaidi was inducted as the Founding Member of the Royal College of Pathologists, and thereafter was conferred a Fellowship. He was inducted as a Fellow of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of India (1976), the National Academy of Sciences, India (1972), and the Indian National Science Academy (1974).[15] These honors are listed in his official obituary, published by the Indian Institute of Toxicology Research.[16] SH Zaidi Memorial Oration endowed annual lectureship was established in 1998.[17] [18] The 12th oration was given by his son, Mone Zaidi.[19]

Policy and Positions

In 1975, Zaidi hosted "The International Symposium on Industrial Toxicology" in Lucknow.[20] He was thereafter inducted as president of the Asian Society of Environmental Industrial Toxicology (1975). He was also Professor at the Azad University in Kanpur and Visiting Professor to the University of Düsseldorf on two occasions.

Zaidi served on the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Health Organization (WHO),[21] and the International Labour Organization (ILO).[22] His work on the World Health Organization's Expert Committees became the basis of two key technical reports.[23] [24] He was also Advisor to the Occupational Health Committee of the WHO, Member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the UN International Registry on Potentially Toxic Chemicals in Geneva (1977–1979), Senior Consultant to the United Nations Environment Programme (1982), and WHO Consultant in Bangladesh[25] and Burma.[26] He founded two institutes for outreach research in Rangoon (1982–1984) and Sri Lanka (1979) under the backing of the United Nations.

In India, he served as Honorary Advisor to the Ministry of Railways, a position that he retained between 1978 and 1989. He chaired the Environmental Research Committee of the Ministry of Environment of the Government of India between 1990 and 1993.

Later life

During the late 1990s and thereafter, Zaidi lived intermittently in India, the United Kingdom, and the United States with his son, Mone Zaidi, who is attending physician at Mount Sinai Hospital, Mount Sinai Professor of Clinical Medicine and Professor of Pharmacological Sciences, and Director of the Center of Translational Medicine and Pharmacology at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. Zaidi died at his home in Riverdale, New York, on 5 April 2008.[27] [28]

Notes and References

  1. Faulds. JS. Haematite pneumoconiosis in Cumberland miners. Journal of Clinical Pathology. 1957. 10. 3. 192–193. 13463104. 10.1136/jcp.10.3.187. 1024048.
  2. Zaidi. SH. Experimental peptic ulceration.I. The significance of mucous barrier. Indian Journal of Medical Research. 1957. 46. 1. 27–37. 13501871. etal.
  3. Prof. S.H. Zaidi Former Director, Passes Away. Toxicology Research Bulletin. May 2008. 28, 1. 2. 23 June 2015. en. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150601235949/http://www.iitrindia.org/pdf/iitr_toxresbulletin28%281%29.pdf. 1 June 2015. dmy-all.
  4. Nityanand. S. Zaidi. SH. Experimental pulmonary embolism and arteriosclerosis. Effect of vasospasm 67: 529-538. American Heart Journal. 1963. 67. 4. 529–537. 14138816. 10.1016/0002-8703(64)90101-2.
  5. Web site: CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology. Annual Report 2013-2014. Former Directors.
  6. [Indian Institute of Toxicology Research]
  7. Rahman. Q. Vishwanathan. PN. Zaidi. SH. Some new perspectives on the biological effects of asbestos. Environmental Research. 1977. 14. 3. 487–498. 145364. 10.1016/0013-9351(77)90056-1. 1977ER.....14..487R.
  8. Book: Zaidi. Sibte. Experimental Pneumoconiosis. 1969. The Johns Hopkins Press. Baltimore. 326. First.
  9. Zaidi . SH . 1986 . Bhopal and After . American Journal of Industrial Medicine . 9 . 3 . 215–216 . 10.1002/ajim.4700090302 . 3963002.
  10. Book: Fielder . MP . Methodological Issues in . 2002 . Springer-Science+Business Media, B.V. . 978-1-4613-5163-4 . 185 . etal.
  11. Web site: American Industrial Hygiene Association. The Yant Award. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20170818220824/https://www.aiha.org/get-involved/outreach/Pages/Yant-Award.aspx. 18 August 2017. dmy-all.
  12. 10.1080/0002889778507611 . 406771 . 38 . 6 . Yant Memorial Lecture...1977. Some aspects of experimental infective pneumoconiosis . Am Ind Hyg Assoc J . 239–45 . Zaidi . SH. 1977 .
  13. Zaidi. SH. Yant Memorial Lecture...1977. Some aspects of experimental infective pneumoconiosis. Journal of the American Industrial Hygiene Association. 1977. 38. 6. 239–245. 406771. 10.1080/0002889778507611.
  14. Web site: India Government Archives. Archives, India.Gov.In. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150601011448/http://archive.india.gov.in/myindia/padmashri_awards_list1.php?start=1540. 1 June 2015. dmy-all.
  15. Web site: Indian National Science Academy . Deceased Fellows . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160813063007/http://insaindia.org.in/deceaseddetail.php?id=N74-089 . 13 August 2016 . dmy-all .
  16. Web site: Toxicology Research Bulletin. Indian Institute of Toxicology Research. Dr. S.H. Zaidi, Former Director, Passes Away. https://web.archive.org/web/20150601235949/http://www.iitrindia.org/pdf/iitr_toxresbulletin28(1).pdf. dead. 2015-06-01.
  17. Web site: Sibte Zaidi Oration. Indian institute of Toxicology Research. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150601051815/http://www.iitrindia.org/annual_events.htm. 1 June 2015. dmy-all.
  18. Web site: The Times of India. The Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR) is celebrating its 46th foundation day tomorrow. .
  19. Web site: Professor SH Zaidi Oration. Previous Orators. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150602015529/http://www.iitrindia.org/archive_sibte_hasan_zaidi_oration.htm. 2 June 2015. dmy-all.
  20. Book: OCLC WorldCat. Environmental pollution and human health : proceedings of the (first) International Symposium on Industrial Toxicology, Lucknow, November 4-7, 1975. 636880625.
  21. Web site: World Health Organization. Regional Office for South East Asia. Chemical Safety in South East Asia Region. https://web.archive.org/web/20031128151626/http://whqlibdoc.who.int/searo/1985-93/SEA_EH_333.pdf. dead. 28 November 2003. WHO.
  22. Book: International Labor Office, Geneva. Occupational exposure to airborne substances harmful to health. 1980. 978-92-2-102442-2. 28.
  23. Book: WHO Technical Report.. Report of a WHO Study Group. Early detection of health impairment in occupational exposure to health hazards. 1975. 571.
  24. Book: WHO Technical Report Series. Report of a WHO Scientific Group. Chemical and biochemical methodology for assessment of hazards of pesticides for man. 1975. 26. 560.
  25. Web site: World health Organization . WHO Project BAN OCH 001 . Industrial Health in Bangladesh .
  26. Web site: WHO Assignment Report. Occupational Toxicology, Burma. World health Organization. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110610133903/http://repository.searo.who.int/handle/123456789/13309. 10 June 2011. dmy-all.
  27. Web site: Dr Zaidi passes away. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304095122/http://www.biospectrumindia.com/biospecindia/news/157405/biopeople. 4 March 2016. dmy-all.
  28. Web site: Toxicology Research Bullettin. Industrial Toxicology Research Center. Prof. S.H. Zaidi, Former Director Passes Away.